LinkedIn is offering $1 billion in class A stock, with underwriters holding the option to sell $150 million in additional stock, according to the filing. LinkedIn said the proceeds will be used for general purposes, ranging from improving its balance sheet to investments in international expansion and product development.

A LinkedIn spokesperson said the company plans to price the offering Wednesday.

According to analysts, LinkedIn is likely pursuing a stock offering now to capitalize on the market’s current enthusiasm for the stock. The company, which sold a relatively small number shares — 1.3 million — in November 2011, has about $263 million in cash and cash equivalents on hand.

He said LinkedIn should spend a large portion of the proceeds on building out its infrastructure, powering data analytics, expanding internationally, and on acquisitions. Those types of investments could help LinkedIn sustain its aggressive growth rate, he said.

In the second quarter, sales rose 59% to $363.7 million, largely on the strength of the company’s core recruiting-tools business. LinkedIn in mid-August said it would open its doors to even more members, lowering the minimum age to 14 years old in the U.S. as it sought to become a go-to resource for college-bound teenagers.

According to the filing, J.P. Morgan, Morgan Stanley, Goldman, Sachs & Co., Bank of America Merrill Lynch, and Allen & Company will lead the offering.